Author Archives: mwalker

the strap!

Posted on June 2, 2014 by mwalker

I was searching my back storeroom at work recently I came across one of the original straps used by Principals and some teachers who were delegated to “dish out” corporal punishment. Corporal punishment (that is legally striking a student with wooden … Continue reading →

Posted in Leadership, parenting, school, Teaching, Uncategorized | 11 Comments

Federal Government changes University funding – I fear for the worse!

Posted on May 29, 2014 by mwalker

It was with some trepidation that I write in this weeks school newsletter on the recent proposed changes to university funding arrangements. The links between primary schools and universities is not obvious in many cases. Quite a few of our … Continue reading →

Posted in Monash University, parenting | 1 Comment

Naplan hits headlines

Posted on May 1, 2014 by mwalker

This article headlined in my school newsletter this week and I have invited comments. Unless you are a teacher or parent of student in Years 3, 5, 7 or 9 you may switch off when reading a newspaper headline with … Continue reading →

Posted in Accountability, Assessment, Harvard, Teaching | 4 Comments

Teachers Overseas: professional learning opportunities that also serve as an acknowledgement of effort.

Posted on April 20, 2014 by mwalker

  I couldn’t help post these 3 images taken in New Mexico last week. The first is a group of teachers and principals from two neighbouring schools Elsternwick and Elwood Primary Schools who share a common belief that relationships build … Continue reading →

Posted in Leadership, Networks of Schools, professional learning, teacher efficacy, Teaching, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

The case for risky play in schools is building. Does short term pain (injuries or complaints) alleviate long term mental health issues – you be the judge!

Posted on April 19, 2014 by mwalker

I’ve come to this topic of “play” from several different experiences: I remember David Rease from Harvard on his first visit to our school standing in our school grounds during recess utterly amazed at children playing with minimal supervision (we … Continue reading →

Posted in Community, play, school | 1 Comment

Stop bashing public education for the tsunami effect will be big and long lasting.

Posted on April 18, 2014 by mwalker

I’m indebted to Greg Whitby for provoking me to write this post when he wrote on a quality education for all. Greg, I think was stirred by Prof Dinham when he recently wrote in the Age newspaper about what he perceived … Continue reading →

Posted in China, Community, Instruction, Leadership, teacher efficacy, Teaching, Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Michael McQueen on decoding todays students

Posted on April 15, 2014 by mwalker

This is the last post from the Principal conference and the second on Michael McQueen I thought worth sharing. In this post he identifies 7 paradigm rifts if we are to understand todays students: The concept of truth being an … Continue reading →

Posted in Conference, school, Teaching | 1 Comment

Michael McQueen on navigating around student engagement.

Posted on April 15, 2014 by mwalker

This is the second post from that Principal’s conference I attended last term. The theme if your read the first post (McCrindle) was on social trends and their impact on education, schools and teachers. We were fortunate to have two … Continue reading →

Posted in Instruction, teacher efficacy, Teaching, Uncategorized | 1 Comment

McCindle says students don’t care how much you know till they know how much you care.

Posted on April 15, 2014 by mwalker

Mark McCrindle, a social researcher,  presented at a conference I attended last term. His presentation was full of really interesting data or information on the various mega trends that effect education in general. The presentation is featured below. In the … Continue reading →

Posted in Teaching, Uncategorized | 1 Comment

time for great teaching – a report on how

Posted on April 14, 2014 by mwalker

  I’ve recently read the Gratton Report “Making time for great teaching“. In the executive summary is says: Government regulations restrict schools. Enterprise bargaining agreements restrict changes to work schedules, and duty of care requirements restrain schools that want to … Continue reading →

Posted in Accountability, Collaborative Communities, Data Wise Program, Feedback, Instruction, Monash University, Observation | 1 Comment

Understanding defined by measurement?

Posted on April 4, 2014 by mwalker

“It is important to measure performance because if you can’t measure it, you can’t understand it; if you can’t understand it, you can’t control it and if you can’t control it, you can’t improve it.” The Times of India I … Continue reading →

Posted in Accountability, Leadership, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Is there a mindset change needed to engage parents when using formative assessment during parent teacher interviews?

Posted on March 10, 2014 by mwalker

I’ve been thinking lately about our upcoming parent teacher interviews which we now hold in March and August of each year and whether we need to reset the context for both teachers and parents? Let me set a little background … Continue reading →

Posted in Assessment, Sister School, Teaching | Leave a comment

student leadership can promote a sense of belonging

Posted on February 26, 2014 by mwalker

Recently I was given the honour of presenting the special year 6 rugby top, to all our year students. The rugby tops, which have all the students names on the back, is one of the key symbols of student leadership … Continue reading →

Posted in Leadership, school | 1 Comment

Keeping earlier improvements alive – a constant juggling act for school leaders.

Posted on February 24, 2014 by mwalker

Have you ever wondered how you keep earlier improvement work on the slow boil whilst undertaking more recent deeper work? I know this is a constant challenge for school leaders particularly as new teachers who often unfamiliar with the earlier … Continue reading →

Posted in Feedback, Leadership, Reading, Teaching | 1 Comment

meanings behind words

Posted on February 23, 2014 by mwalker

One of my key roles as an instructional leader is to act as a “coach” to a number of our year level planning teams. An Assistant Principal dropped into one of these meeting where we were discussing spelling and its … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment